Imaging apparatus having improved usability when moving images and still images are recorded

• US 8,279,298 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujii, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe, Aung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Chia-Wei A
• Application Number:
  US12/404,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20090237519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 348/220.1, 348/221.1, 348/231.2
• US Class Current: 348/220.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/212 Motion video recording combined with still video recording television signal recording H04N5/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/333 Mode signalling or mode changing; Handshaking therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/115 Selection of the code volume for a coding unit prior to coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/124 Quantisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/152 by measuring the fullness of the transmission buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/154 Measured or subjectively estimated visual quality after decoding, e.g. measurement of distortion use of rate-distortion criteria H04N19/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/60 using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/212 Selecting different recording or reproducing modes, e.g. high or low resolution, field or frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33357 Compression mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8047 using transform coding

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes a signal processing unit that generates moving image data and still image data using image data output from an imaging unit, a moving image coding unit that encodes the moving image data, a still image coding unit that encodes the still image data, a recording unit that records the coded moving and still image data on a recording medium, a setting unit that sets a data rate of the coded moving image data, and a control unit that controls the moving and still image coding units. The control unit controls the moving image coding unit based on the set data rate to adjust the data rate of the moving image data and the still image coding unit based on the set data rate and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust an amount of the still image data.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit;

a signal processing unit configured to generate moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

a moving image coding unit configured to encode the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data;

a still image coding unit configured to encode the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

a recording unit configured to record the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

a setting unit configured to set a data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit; and

a control unit configured to control the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit, the control unit controlling the moving image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit to adjust a data rate of the moving image data, the control unit controlling the still image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust an amount of the still image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data,

wherein the recording unit records the still image data on the recording medium during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts, on the basis of the set data rate and the recording data rate of the recording medium, an amount of the still image data generated during recording of the moving image data.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit adjusts the amount of the still image data on the basis of a difference between the recording data rate of the recording medium and the set data rate.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the signal processing unit generates still image data of N frames in unit time, and

wherein the control unit adjusts the amount of the still image data so that still image data of each of N frames has the same information amount.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit selects one of a plurality of predetermined data rates in accordance with a user operation.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued when the moving image data is not recorded, and

wherein the control unit controls the still image coding unit so that the still image data generated by the signal processing unit is encoded regardless of the set data rate when the moving image data is not recorded.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the setting unit sets an image quality of the still image data to be recorded when the moving image data is not recorded to a given value, and

wherein the control unit controls the still image coding unit on the basis of the image quality of the still image data set by the setting unit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the still image coding unit includes a quantizer configured to quantize the still image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts a quantization step of the quantizer on the basis of the set image quality.

8. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit;

a signal processing unit configured to generate moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

a moving image coding unit configured to encode the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data;

a still image coding unit configured to encode the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

a recording unit configured to record the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

a setting unit configured to set a data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit; and

a control unit configured to control the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit, the control unit controlling the moving image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit to adjust a data rate of the moving image data, the control unit controlling the still image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust an amount of the still image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts an amount of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit so that the encoded still image data can be recorded during recording of the moving image data.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit adjusts the amount of the still image data on the basis of a difference between the recording data rate of the recording medium and the set data rate.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the signal processing unit generates still image data of N frames in unit time, and

wherein the control unit adjusts the amount of the still image data so that still image data of each of N frames has the same information amount.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the setting unit selects one of a plurality of predetermined data rates in accordance with a user operation.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued when the moving image data is not recorded, and

wherein the control unit controls the still image coding unit so that the still image data generated by the signal processing unit is encoded regardless of the set data rate when the moving image data is not recorded.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the setting unit sets an image quality of the still image data to be recorded when the moving image data is not recorded to a given value, and

wherein the control unit controls the still image coding unit on the basis of the image quality of the still image data set by the setting unit.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the still image coding unit includes a quantizer configured to quantize the still image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts a quantization step of the quantizer on the basis of the set image quality.

15. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit;

a signal processing unit configured to generate moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

a moving image coding unit configured to encode the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data;

a still image coding unit configured to encode the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

a recording unit configured to record the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

a setting unit configured to set an image quality of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit; and

a control unit configured to control the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit, the control unit controlling the still image coding unit on the basis of the image quality set by the setting unit to adjust an amount of the still image data, the control unit controlling the moving image coding unit on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded in accordance with the set image quality and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust a data rate of the moving image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the recording unit records the still image data on the recording medium during recording of the moving image data,

wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded during recording of the moving image data and the recording data rate of the recording medium.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data on the basis of a difference between the recording data rate of the recording medium and the amount of the still image data.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the setting unit selects one of a plurality of predetermined image qualities in accordance with a user operation.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17,

wherein the setting unit sets the data rate of the moving image data to a given value, and

wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit in response to an instruction for starting recording of the moving image data, and adjusts the data rate of the moving image data on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded during recoding of the moving image data and the recording data rate of the recording medium in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit after the recording unit finishes recording the still image data.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15,

wherein the still image coding unit includes a quantizer configured to quantize the still image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts a quantization step of the quantizer on the basis of the set image quality.

21. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit;

a signal processing unit configured to generate moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

a moving image coding unit configured to encode the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data

a still image coding unit configured to encode the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

a recording unit configured to record the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

a setting unit configured to set an image quality of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit; and

a control unit configured to control the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit, the control unit controlling the still image coding unit on the basis of the image quality set by the setting unit to adjust an amount of the still image data, the control unit controlling the moving image coding unit on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded in accordance with the set image quality and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust a data rate of the moving image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit so that the coded still image data can be recorded during recording of the moving image data.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data on the basis of a difference between the recording data rate of the recording medium and the amount of the still image data.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the setting unit selects one of a plurality of predetermined image qualities in accordance with a user operation.

24. The apparatus according to claim 21,

wherein the setting unit sets the data rate of the moving image data to a given value, and

wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit in response to an instruction for starting recording of the moving image data, and adjusts the data rate of the moving image data on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded during recoding of the moving image data and the recording data rate of the recording medium in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data.

25. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit after the recording unit finishes recording the still image data.

26. The apparatus according to claim 21,

wherein the still image coding unit includes a quantizer configured to quantize the still image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts a quantization step of the quantizer on the basis of the set image quality.

27. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit;

a signal processing unit configured to generate moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

a moving image coding unit configured to encode the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data;

a still image coding unit configured to encode the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

a recording unit configured to record the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

a setting unit configured to set a data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit and an image quality of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit;

a selecting unit configured to select one of a first mode and a second mode; and

a control unit configured to control the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit in accordance with the mode selected by the selecting unit,

wherein, in the first mode, the control unit controls the moving image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit to adjust the data rate of the moving image data and controls the still image coding unit on the basis of the set data rate and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust an amount of the still image data, and

wherein, in the second mode, the control unit controls the still image coding unit on the basis of the image quality set by the setting unit to adjust the amount of the still image data and controls the moving image coding unit on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded in accordance with the set image quality and the recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust the data rate of the moving image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts the amount of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit so that the coded still image data can be recorded during recording of the moving image data in the first mode.

28. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit;

a signal processing unit configured to generate moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

a moving image coding unit configured to encode the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data;

a still image coding unit configured to encode the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

a recording unit configured to record the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

a setting unit configured to set a data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit and an image quality of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit;

a selecting unit configured to select one of a first mode and a second mode; and

a control unit configured to control the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit in accordance with the mode selected by the selecting unit,

wherein, in the first mode, the control unit controls the moving image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit to adjust the data rate of the moving image data and controls the still image coding unit on the basis of the set data rate and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust an amount of the still image data,

wherein, in the second mode, the control unit controls the still image coding unit on the basis of the image quality set by the setting unit to adjust the amount of the still image data and controls the moving image coding unit on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded in accordance with the set image quality and the recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust the data rate of the moving image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit so that the coded still image data can be recorded during recording of the moving image data in the second mode.

29. A method performed in an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit, the method comprising:

via signal processing unit, generating moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

via a moving image coding unit, encoding the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data;

via a still image coding unit, encoding the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

via a recording unit, recording the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

via a setting unit, setting a data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit; and

via a control unit, controlling the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit, the control unit controlling the moving image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit to adjust a data rate of the moving image data, the control unit controlling the still image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust an amount of the still image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data,

wherein the recording unit records the still image data on the recording medium during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts, on the basis of the set data rate and the recording data rate of the recording medium, an amount of the still image data generated during recording of the moving image data.

30. A method performed in an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit, the method comprising:

via a signal processing unit, generating moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

via a moving image coding unit, encoding the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data;

via a still image coding unit, encoding the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

via a recording unit, recording the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

via s setting unit, setting a data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit; and

via a control unit, controlling the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit, the control unit controlling the moving image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit to adjust a data rate of the moving image data, the control unit controlling the still image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust an amount of the still image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts an amount of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit so that the encoded still image data can be recorded during recording of the moving image data.

31. A method performed in an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit, the method comprising:

via a signal processing unit, generating moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

via a moving image coding unit, encoding the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data;

via a still image coding unit, encoding the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

via a recording unit, recording the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

via a setting unit, setting an image quality of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit; and

via a control unit, controlling the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit, the control unit controlling the still image coding unit on the basis of the image quality set by the setting unit to adjust an amount of the still image data, the control unit controlling the moving image coding unit on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded in accordance with the set image quality and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust a data rate of the moving image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the recording unit records the still image data on the recording medium during recording of the moving image data,

wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded during recording of the moving image data and the recording data rate of the recording medium.

32. A method performed in an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit, the method comprising:

via a signal processing unit, generating moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

via a moving image coding unit, encoding the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data;

via a still image coding unit, encoding the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

via a recording unit, recording the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

a setting unit configured to set an image quality of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit; and

via a control unit, controlling the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit, the control unit controlling the still image coding unit on the basis of the image quality set by the setting unit to adjust an amount of the still image data, the control unit controlling the moving image coding unit on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded in accordance with the set image quality and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust a data rate of the moving image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit so that the coded still image data can be recorded during recording of the moving image data.

33. A method performed in an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit, the method comprising:

via a signal processing unit, generating moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

via a moving image coding unit, encoding the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data;

via a still image coding unit, encoding the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

via a recording unit, recording the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

via a setting unit, setting a data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit and an image quality of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit;

via a selecting unit, selecting one of a first mode and a second mode; and

via a control unit, controlling the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit in accordance with the mode selected by the selecting unit,

wherein, in the first mode, the control unit controls the moving image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit to adjust the data rate of the moving image data and controls the still image coding unit on the basis of the set data rate and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust an amount of the still image data, and

wherein, in the second mode, the control unit controls the still image coding unit on the basis of the image quality set by the setting unit to adjust the amount of the still image data and controls the moving image coding unit on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded in accordance with the set image quality and the recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust the data rate of the moving image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts the amount of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit so that the coded still image data can be recorded during recording of the moving image data in the first mode.

34. A method performed in an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit, the method comprising:

via a signal processing unit, generating moving image data and still image data using image data output from the imaging unit;

via a moving image coding unit configured to encode the moving image data to compress an information amount of the moving image data;

via a still image coding unit, encoding the still image data to compress an information amount of the still image data;

via a recording unit, recording the moving image data encoded by the moving image coding unit and the still image data encoded by the still image coding unit on a recording medium;

via a setting unit, setting a data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit and an image quality of the still image data to be encoded by the still image coding unit;

via a selecting unit, selecting one of a first mode and a second mode; and

via a control unit configured to control the moving image coding unit and the still image coding unit in accordance with the mode selected by the selecting unit,

wherein, in the first mode, the control unit controls the moving image coding unit on the basis of the data rate set by the setting unit to adjust the data rate of the moving image data and controls the still image coding unit on the basis of the set data rate and a recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust an amount of the still image data,

wherein, in the second mode, the control unit controls the still image coding unit on the basis of the image quality set by the setting unit to adjust the amount of the still image data and controls the moving image coding unit on the basis of the amount of the still image data encoded in accordance with the set image quality and the recording data rate of the recording medium to adjust the data rate of the moving image data,

wherein the signal processing unit generates the still image data in response to a still image shooting instruction issued during recording of the moving image data, and

wherein the control unit adjusts the data rate of the moving image data to be encoded by the moving image coding unit so that the coded still image data can be recorded during recording of the moving image data in the second mode.